The Newbery Challenge: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Happy Newbery Day! Mr. Colby Sharp and I are reading EVERY SINGLE NEWBERY MEDAL WINNER (sorry, I got excited) in order.  Today we're discussing From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. 

I have three questions for you: 

1. Do you remember where you were the first time you read it? 

2. What's your favorite scene? 

3. When do you recommend it to young readers? 

Visit Colby's blog to watch his video. 

Please don't watch this video if you haven't read the book. 

Watch a clip from the From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler movie. 

Travis Jonker created the cover on the right. Nice work, sir! 

E.L. Konigsburg accepts the Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature. 

Borrow From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler from your school or public library. Whenever possible, please support independent bookshops. 

New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books

It's the time of year when Best of and prediction lists start popping up left and right. You cannot avoid headlines like... 

*"The Best Movies of 2012"

* "Want the scoop on the best new television shows?" 

*"We predict _________ will take home Best Picture" 

*"________ is the 2012 Word of the Year"

What's that? What's that you say? You don't really care about those headlines. Well, I don't either. I'm more interested in these headlines: 

*"The 2013 Newbery Medal winner is____________" 

*"___________won the 2013 Caldecott Medal." 

*"School Library Journal's Best Books of 2012" 

Unfortunately, we will have to wait a while longer before we read those headlines, but I can share this headline: 

Bear Despair. Written and illustrated by Gaetan Doreums. Enchanted Lion, 2012. 

The Beetle Book. Written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Houghton, 2012. 

House Held Up by Trees. Written by Ted Kooser. Illustrated by Jon Klassen. Candlewick Press, 2012.

 

The Hueys in the New Sweater. Written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. Philomel, 2012.

Infinity and Me. Written by Kate Hosford. Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska. Carolrhoda, 2012.

Little Bird. Written by Germano Zullo. Illustrated by Albertine. Enchanted Lion, 2012. 

One Times Square: A Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World. Written and illustrated by Joe McKendry. Godine, 2012. 

Red Knit Cap Girl. Written and illustrated by Naoko Stoop. Little, Brown. 

Stephen and the Beetle. Written by Jorge Lujan. Illustrated by Chiara Carrer. Groundwood, 2012.

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. Written and illustrated by Henry Cole. Scholastic, 2012.  

SF/F: The Year’s Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois

The 29th publication of The Year’s Best Science Fiction (St. Martin’s Press) edited by Gardner Dozois annual needs little announcement, yet not discussing it at least a bit would seem like an oversight. Every year, Dozois rounds up the very best of SF/F from the previous year, offering readers the chance to see what genre masters are up to plus giving us a glimpse of where things are headed with